AB0086 PLASMA EXPRESSION OF CAROTID PLAQUE PRESENCE-RELATED MIRNA-24, MIRNA-146 AND MIRNA-LET7A IS ASSOCIATED WITH INFLAMMATORY VARIABLES (DAS28 AND ESR) IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Authors: S. Paredes, D. Llop, D. Ibarretxe, D. Taverner, R. Rosales, N. Plana, L. Masana, J. C. Vallve
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes problems beyond the joints such as cardiovascular (CV) disease. It is estimated that the risk of developing CV disease in RA patients is approximately 50% higher than that in the general population<sup>[1]</sup>. The formation of atherosclerotic plaques is the main mechanism of the development of CV disease in RA patients<sup>[2]</sup>. The pathogenesis of atherosclerotic plaques is multifactorial and includes vascular, metabolic and inflammatory components<sup>[3]</sup>. In this regard, miRNA-24, 146 and Let7a have previously been associated with the presence of carotid plaques in RA patients<sup>[4]</sup>. <h3>Objectives</h3> Given that there is a strong relationship between the chronic inflammatory state of RA and arteriosclerosis, we evaluated, individually and globally, whether miRNA-24, 146 and Let7a were involved in the inflammatory state of RA and could link inflammation and arteriosclerosis. <h3>Methods</h3> A total of 199 patients with RA were included. Inflammatory variables such as disease activity score 28 (DAS28) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were quantified. MicroRNAs were extracted from plasma and quantified with qPCR. Multivariate models were used for analysis. An expression score was created to evaluate all the miRNAs conjunctively. <h3>Results</h3> The multivariate models showed that miRNA-146 was significantly associated with DAS28 (β = -0.15), and miRNAs 24, 146 and Let7a were significantly associated with ESR (β = -5.17, β = -5.29 and β = -6.47, respectively) in the overall cohort. When miRNAs were evaluated globally, they were also significantly associated with DAS28 and ESR in the overall cohort (β = 0.41 and β = 14.23, respectively). Sex-stratified analyses also showed different associations of these miRNAs with the inflammatory variables (Table 1). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Plasmatic expressions of miRNA-24, 146 and Let7a were associated with inflammatory markers of RA. These miRNAs are associated with both inflammation and atherosclerosis, which could link these processes, and are potential therapeutic targets for RA. <h3>References</h3> [1]Castañeda S, Martín-Martínez MA, González-Juanatey C, Llorca J, García-Yébenes MJ, Pérez-Vicente S, et al. Cardiovascular morbidity and associated risk factors in Spanish patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases attending rheumatology clinics: Baseline data of the CARMA Project. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2015;44:618–26. [2]Ambrosino P, Lupoli R, Di Minno A, Tasso M, Peluso R, Di Minno MND. Subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A meta-analysis of literature studies. Thromb Haemost. 2015;113:916–30. [3]Wolf D, Ley K. Immunity and Inflammation in Atherosclerosis. Circ Res. 2019;124:315–27. [4]Llop D, Ibarretxe D, Plana N, Rosales R, Taverner D, Masana L, et al. A panel of plasma microRNAs improves the assessment of surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022. <h3>Acknowledgements</h3> We would like to thank all the patients for their essential collaboration. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> SILVIA PAREDES Speakers bureau: Lilly, Bristol, Amgen, Consultant of: Galapagos, Sanofi, Bristol, Didac Llop: None declared, Daiana Ibarretxe Speakers bureau: Sanofi, Sobi, Genzyme, Rubio, Delia Taverner Speakers bureau: Galapagos, Amgen, Roser Rosales: None declared, Nuria Plana Speakers bureau: Amgen, Sanofi, Servier, Consultant of: Servier, Luis Masana Speakers bureau: Amgen, Sanofi, Servier, Consultant of: Servier, Amgen, Joan Carles Vallve: None declared.